I am always on the hunt for great designs by great people and I think I found another treasure by Janet Lohrman! She is creating wonderful crochet hooks all handmade and one of a kind! If you feel that you deserve a great hook to express your creativity or know a serious crocheter, this might be a perfect gift!
Please introduce yourself….
My name is Janet Lohrman
(I prefer Jan please) I am a 52 year old retired nurse and I have a passion for making wooden crochet hooks.
Why crochet hooks and what woke up the passion to start making them?
Being retired I crochet a lot of the time. So one day I sat down and watched a bushman on you tube make one from a stick.
I immediately thought I can do that. So with the aid of my disabled partner, we went on a wood collecting frenzy. I only use Australian tree limbs that have fallen to the ground. That’s what I use, it could be gum tree or a white gum tree called a ghost gum and I have use Tasmanian Oak along with the traditional bottle brush tree.
How long does it take you to make one, and what material do you use?
On average once someone has placed an order and given me the size/s. I then begin to whittle a branch to the correct size as I also make the thicker handles for those with arthritis.
What sizes are you make and where can we purchase them?
The sizes that I can make as I don’t use any machinery at all are 5mm up to what ever size my client wishes. The smaller sizes are much harder due to the heads size being too hard to carve out with my utility knife. I have a hook sizing die and I double check them with vernier to be doubly accurate on sizing. From start to finish depending on the quantity of hooks per order and again sizing. In general one hook from start to finish to postage can take anywhere from 3 – 4 days.
This also depends if the want details carved into it or beads added to the ends. Pricing can also vary on thick and normal handles, carvings or beads.
Where can we find you on social media ?
I can be found on Facebook under my general page of Jan Lohrman. Or I can be pmed. I am pretty on the ball to check messages and look at Facebook many times through out the day.
Admit it you are a yarn hoarder and you like to add one more skein into your vast collection!
I discovered a fabulous brand here in Australia -Bendigo Woollen Mills. It;s a stunning place! I always wanted to try the yarn they offer and now is the right time to introduce it on my blog.
I love to work with organic, natural and stunning yarn. I believe that Bendigo Woollen Mills hits all categories!
Since stripes are so IN in 2017 I decided to create a simple but effective designs, using Bendigo Woollen Mills yarn.
What I love the most about this brand is , that the quality is very close to perfection! The colours are divine and easy to work with plain and in combination. Since winter is coming these wool yarns are fabulous! A clean thread that has a great slide on the crochet hook as well as on the knitting needles. It is also very comfortable on the sewing needle, while creating bullions.
I heard only good reviews about Bendigo Woollen Mills but never got the chance to introduce it into my work! It was about time to let you all know what fabulous product it is!
Please let me know how you like Bendigo Yarn and what you are making with it!
If you would like to create this pattern please let me know and I will make a tutorial on that.
Now to the fun part of this blog post! If you never tried yarn from Bendigo, this is your chance to work with! I will giveaway, 2 yarn skeins! So we will have two winners, shortly!
You can win one Donut ball IGLOO 100% pure wool and I will also give away one Bendigo skein Grey 3PLY 100% wool!
Winter is Coming so happy Crochet and good luck!
How you can win!
You will receive points that you need to collect to be able to be on the list for winning one skein!
I will select two winners randomly!
1- Comment below why you would like to win one skein from Bendigo! Do not forget to add your email!
7- Share this blogpost so more people get to know about Bendigo Woollen Mills on your social media!
If you collect all 10 points ( comment, like, subscribe share the you tube video, follow both ink & Lace and Bendigo on Facebook, follow twitter, follow Instagram Ink & Lace and Bendigo, Share the blogpost on your social media!
This is an Australian GIVEAWAY!
You have time to enter the giveaway till March 9th 2017!
Being unique is not only a must these days but an obligation to yourself and to the pride of being human! Fashion is playing a huge part of taking pride in your look.
You can be unique with accessories a great way out of the fashion jungle! I want to introduce to you some gorgeous handbags created by Larisa Chilton
Introducing “Rose Garden”….
By the way if you would like to learn to create this beautiful purse, feel free to contact Larisa and you can dive into the beautiful art of Irish Crochet.
Being and illustrator and in the fashion business, it was impossible for me to not swing the brush and illustrate this handbag. ….
Your hands are not only a part of you and you use them daily, you use them more as you think, specially when you crochet, knit, do pointlace or more…..
It is important to keep your hands not only clean or course but moisture-zed. You need to take care of them daily! I admit sometimes I don;t and this is bad… the consequences are not only visible but I also feel it!
The bands become hard, edge the skin is rough and the upper layer is cutting….
You ask what to do?!
LOTION! Apply Lotion!
Pick one that is not only easy to use but is good for your skin. I am not talking about buying the most expensive product out there, buy one that keep your skin great!
If I have to travel or I am on the go! I have in my purse a small jar of neutrogena or vaseline.
If I am at home I use organic virgin olive oil or coconut oil. Works wonders!
This is how I do it!
Apply half a teaspoon coconut oil in your palm and gently rub it on your hands and arms, feel as well if your skin is dry. ( Tip: You can use it all over your body including hair)
Gently massage it in and let your hands relax a bit. The oil will soak up quick and your hands will feel great again. It depends on your skin type but I notes that when I use coconut oil my hands need moisturising just 2x a week and sometimes less all depending on the weather condition of course. I have less cuts and I can create more lace or crochet.
If your hands are dry, when you crochet, knit or do lace, the thread or yarn you use, can damage your skin. Because you do a repetitive movement for a longer period of time, and the thread hits your skin on the same spot, if can be easily cut.
If you like the article, feel free to share it with your friends!
My Golden Project… is still work in progress and it looks like finally it is talking a shape!
Creating embroidery flowers and metres and metres of Romanian Point Lace cord takes time, but it is quite rewarding to know that the Saree Blouse is shaping slowly.
For the Romanian Cord I am using silk viscose blend Mimosa Brand from Ice Yarn and it has quite some body.
The floral elements
are not only all unique but have all different designs.
The embroidered flowers are a mix of different threads but both with the same composition a silk viscose blend. To have a good finish, on the floral design, is to crochet the back.
It is not only a great end result, it gives body and volume to the whole product. The Saree Blouse, is longer as the traditional Saree designs and it;s covering the stomach area.
The Saree Blouse is inspired by the traditional Mogul culture…. Deep purple and golden royal colours and cream.
If you are interested in some short video updates on the golden project, visit and subscribe to the YouTube Chanel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4PDYoLTOWl4EOItvZTzl7Q
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coconut oil. Works wonders!
